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LATS2 is a new member of the LATS tumour suppressor family. The human LATS2 gene is located at chromosome 13q11-12, a hot spot (67%) for loss of heterozygosity (LOH) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We screened 129 non-small cell lung cancer samples and 13 lung cancer cell lines, initially for mutations in the LATS2 gene and subsequently for mutations in P53 and K-RAS genes. Either polymorphisms or mutations were identified in over 50 percent of analysed tumours. A novel missense mutation, S1073R, and a large deletion of 8 amino acids in the PAPA-repeat region were detected in 9 and 2 NSCLC tumours, respectively. Those mutations were not identified in the 13 lung cancer cell lines. Mutations were tumour specific and were absent from adjacent normal tissue and healthy controls. Down-regulation of the LATS2 gene was observed in most NSCLC tumours but was not related to any mutation or polymorphism. Tumours with a LATS2 mutation often also harbour a P53 but not K-RAS gene mutation and were mostly in an advanced stage of development, with regional lymph node involvement.

Contrary to the recent hypothesis that S100A2 is a tumour suppressor, no somatic mutations have yet been identified. We therefore screened 90 non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) samples, initially for mutations in S100A2 and then also for mutations in P53 and K-RAS genes. Alterations were detected in 46.7% of squamous lung cancer (SCC) samples, but we detected only one novel tumour specific mutation, Q23X in squamous carcinoma. We detected four polymorphisms, two of them published for the first time (144+109 C/G and 297+75A/G) and two already published: S62N, in the coding region and related to squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and 297+17T/C. Analysis of S100A2 expression revealed that expression in adenocarcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas is significantly different, but not related to any of the found alterations. In one tumour with S62N polymorphism, P53 and K-RAS genes were also mutated, while two tumours with the Q23X mutation have a P53 but no K-RAS mutation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report describing alterations in the S100A2 gene proving a relation between changes in predominantly squamous lung cancer.